


if you need me call me, no matter where you are (no matter how far)

by serenitysea



Series: we are the architects of light { lara 'verse } [7]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: 5 Things, Fluff, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-16
Updated: 2015-01-16
Packaged: 2018-03-07 18:46:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3179189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenitysea/pseuds/serenitysea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>aka: four times lance finds lara and the one time he doesn’t have to (because she finds him).</p>
            </blockquote>





	if you need me call me, no matter where you are (no matter how far)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sleeplessmiles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeplessmiles/gifts).



1\. **lost**.

  
There are, in all, only three times Coulson has ever had to use the lockdown protocol on base.   
  
(No one talks about the first two times.)  
  
The last time is because Lara goes missing.   
  
And so, Lance finds himself curling awkwardly behind a shelf in the pantry because he thought he spied a tiny foot peeking out of the doorway.   
  
At last Lara has been discovered.   
  
Tucked beside a five pound sack of flour (that is bigger than she is), Lara is passed out and drooling on the floor. There is a stuffed alpaca plush toy that has seen much better days nestled in the crook of her tiny elbow and a binkie in her mouth.   
  
Lance remembers the days all the binkies were eliminated from the Ward household. It had not been a pretty sight.   
  
She must have found one and hidden away from everyone, thinking (correctly) that they would have taken it away from her as soon as they found out.   
  
He breathes a heavy sigh of relief and scoops up the toddler in one arm, lifting his phone to his ear with the other. “All clear. I’ve got her.”   
  
Lara hums contentedly in her sleep and doesn’t even wake up when he transfers her to Skye’s frantic embrace.   
  
Ward pulls him into a strong, one-armed hug and tells him he has one _get out of jail free_ card to be used whenever he needs it.   
  
(Years later Lance accidentally kicks a soccer ball into Lara’s face.   
  
He’ll need it then.)  
  
  
  
  
2\. **don’t ever**.  
  
Lara has spent the last twelve minutes running around the room in circles. Lance is dizzy from watching her flit around the room. At last she collapses next to him on the couch, panting slightly and out of breath.   
  
She gives him a big smile and tucks her knees into her chest, prompting him to throw an arm over her. “You’re my favorite.” Her hazel eyes are huge with adoration as she stares up at him.   
  
Lance chuckles. She’s going to be as much of a handful as her mother ever was (perhaps a great deal more, given the skill set of her father.) “Don’t ever grow up, pet.”   
  
"Never," Lara promises, snuggling deeper into his arms.   
  
  
  
3\. **mess**.  
  
She’s sitting on the counter and it looks like a bomb went off.   
  
"Pet?" Lance asks, cautiously stepping into the kitchen. "What’s happened?"  
  
Lara sighs miserably, shoulders slumped like someone pulled all the life out of her. There are mysterious streaks of white in her dark hair, giving the appearance of premature aging. “I tried to make cookies for Emmy’s coming home party but,” she drops her head to her chest, “it didn’t work.”   
  
He purses his lips to keep from laughing (he knows enough about the way she and her mother are sensitive on such matters) and clears his throat. “Want some help?”  
  
Lara turns to him with excitement in her eyes. “Would you? I was trying for white chocolate chip.”  
  
"Aren’t those _your_ favorite?”  
  
She looks offended. “Uncle Lance, Emmy and I _both_ love white chocolate chip. It just so happens I am almost making a different batch for everyone else.”   
  
"Ah," he nods solemnly. "Well. Let’s get to it."  
  
Outside the sun is shining brightly enough to burn away the storm clouds.   
  
  
  
  
4\. **small chaos**.   
  
  
Lance makes it past Emmy because they both know he doesn’t give a damn about anything other than making sure Lara is okay.   
  
Everyone is still scattered around the base looking for their favorite little hurricane (and oh, how those words hold a much deeper meaning now) but he knew where to find the girls and sure enough, had been correct in tracking them to the treehouse.   
  
Lara is huddled underneath no less than _three_ blankets and has tugged on what he suspects is that rugby shirt of his that had disappeared last year and looks absolutely _wrecked_.   
  
He crouches down beside her and puts a hand on her back and she _bursts_ into tears.   
  
Emmy tears through the doorway with accusations flaring in her eyes and he shakes his head curtly. Her gaze softens as she takes in the moment and then she disappears to attend to the approaching voices down at the base of the tree.   
  
Lance sighs and lifts Lara into his arms, blankets and all. “You’re still my favorite,” he murmurs quietly.   
  
She pauses, mid-hiccuping sob. “I know you say that to Emmy, too.”   
  
Thunder rumbles threateningly in the distance and she crumples in on herself, crying harder. “I can’t do _this_ — Emmy was wrong!”  
  
"Okay first of all," Lance gives her firm squeeze around the shoulders to ensure he has her attention, "Have you, in the history of _ever_ , known your cousin Emmy to be wrong?”  
  
The crying stops as Lara is forced to address this very real concern. There is a stubborn pout to her lips when she finally says, “…No.”  
  
"Right." He nods at the window with the utter nonchalance that has always embodied everything Lance Hunter and then says, "So all that’s just a small bit of chaos then, yeah?"  
  
Lara glares at him and he raises his eyebrows firmly, patiently waiting her out.   
  
"I _guess_ ,” she mutters sullenly.   
  
"And what is it that your cousin and Grandma May and Aunt Jemma and Uncle Fitz handle best?"  
  
She frowns impatiently. “If you’re trying to make me feel better by calling me _chaos_ , I think your pep talk needs work.”  
  
Lance shakes his head. “I’m saying there’s no way that they will ever abandon you. There’s nothing you can do that will scare them. Think about it: The Fitzsimmons, they love the science of it all. And May will help you with your control. She won’t even flinch.”   
  
"And what about my parents?" Lara looks absolutely terrified at the thought of having to face her parents — and it is heartbreaking because if anyone would understand, it would be them. Lance knows a thing or two about failing to meet expectations though, and would wager a guess that is what’s driving his niece into hysterics.   
  
"I’ll go with you."   
  
Her eyes go wide. “You’d do that?”   
  
"Pet," he laughs like she has said something really funny. "You couldn’t keep me away if you _tried_.”   
  
Lara raises an eyebrow and lightening crackles sharply outside the window. Lance yelps loudly.   
  
Over Emmy’s outraged cry of alarm, Lara smirks — and she has never more resembled her father than in that moment — “Wanna bet?”  
  
He doesn’t even bother hiding the grin that spreads across his face, transforming it into the picture of smug confidence. “That’s my girl.”   
  
Lara scowls but throws off her blankets and leads the way out and down the treehouse to face their family.   
  
She doesn’t flinch when her parents scoop her up and hold her close, kissing whatever parts of her face they can reach and showering her with unbridled affection.   
  
‘ _Told you so_ ,’ Lance mouths, earning himself an elbow to the ribs, courtesy of Bobbi.  
  
  
  
+1. **red**.  
  
She’s in a beautiful dress and looking far too adult for his liking and he doesn’t know when it happened but it looks like she went ahead and grew up when he wasn’t looking.   
  
"You promised you weren’t going to grow up," Lance drawls, cocking his head to the side.   
  
Lara is a nervous wreck.   
  
There are some faint smudges on her white dress and she has wild eyes. “You’ve gotta get me out of this thing.”  
  
Lance’s eyes go wide with alarm. “You’re not having second thoughts? You love that idiot.”   
  
"I do," Lara grimly agrees, "Which is why we’re here and not eloping somewhere in the Caribbean but so _help_ me, Lance,” The skies thunder ominously and she winces, trying to get her emotions back in line. “I can’t spend another minute in this stupid dress.”  
  
"I don’t really think I should be helping you out of any clothes, now or _ever_ and —”   
  
"— Oh stop," she presents her back to him, and there are only about ten thousand buttons that need loosening. "Emmy and I stashed my real dress in your closet weeks ago."  
  
Lance casts his eyes toward the ceiling and works on undoing the buttons. “Somehow I don’t see your father approving on this plan at _all_.”   
  
"Why do you think I came here instead of going to see Mom?"   
  
When there are still enough buttons done to preserve her modesty but allow her to clamber out of the dress freely, she shoves him away and orders him to close his eyes.   
  
He hears a lot of fabric rustling and something ripping ominously and Lara cursing under her breath.   
  
"Okay," She sounds like she’s just run a half marathon, but the worry no longer reads in her tone. "I’m decent."   
  
Lance opens his eyes and Lara stands before him in a gown of vibrant scarlet red and a blinding grin on her face.   
  
"Oh god," he chuckles. "Your father is going to have a stroke."   
  
"But what a way to go," Lara sighs happily, snagging her beloved worn leather jacket from where it rests on the chair.   
  
She’s still got the mischievous sparkle in her eyes and that slight curl of her lips that she can’t hide even when she’s trying to be the picture of innocence itself.   
  
Lance kisses her forehead softly. “Don’t ever grow up.”   
  
"Never," Lara promises, and takes the elbow that he has offered her. "Now c’mon, I gotta get hitched to my idiot."

*

 _ **lara’s wedding dress**_ :

**Author's Note:**

> \+ [tumblr](http://b-isforbombshell.tumblr.com)  
> \+ lara's dress is made by vera wang  
> \+ the title is from _ain't no mountain high enough_  
>  \+ i will always accept headcanons requests and prompts for this universe at my tumblr.


End file.
